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The essence of every event circles around the attendees and translating their needs into digestible content. We place a large emphasis on how to make the attendee experience better and there are many resources available on how to organise events that can wow different crowds.
However, on the flip side, we must also remind ourselves that behind the scenes of every event, there is always a dedicated team toiling and exerting itself to make sure that success is palpable in all aspects.
This is where the role of human resources and its management would come into play. For today’s blog, we are going to delve into the importance of people in managing events and how to finesse the staffing process.
Here are four specific tips:
1. Hire people based on the needs of your event
According to Julianne Curlis from UT Conferences, “Not only does a successful event look organised, it is organised. The best events are meticulously planned and documented from start to finish.”
While this is common knowledge, many event organisers undermine the importance of staffing when it comes to events. As an event tech provider, we have seen events being haphazardly organised to meet a deadline, and one indicator of failure is that there aren’t enough staff members to accommodate the needs of the attendees. This manifests in observable events such as long queues for badging, not having enough food to serve the crowd, or even the failure of AV equipment on stage.
If you are expecting hundreds or thousands of attendees, the number of staff you hire should be proportional to this figure. Moreover, you should diversify the roles of your team to address any nuance in your event. This should all be part of your project brief which should be validated and approved way before your event even happens.
2. Invest in safety and follow correct HR procedures
Yes, attendee safety is always of paramount importance in events but you should also apply the same level of concern for everyone who’s working for your event. If there is specialised equipment or specific working measures to take into account, including their corresponding documentation, be very meticulous in making sure that your staff are properly informed, trained, and equipped.
For large-scale events such as trade exhibitions which may involve the transport and management of heavy materials, do proper risk assessment first and always look into the welfare of all workers. It is also good practice to invest in public/employer’s liability insurance to cover all bases.
3. Acquire technology that makes people’s work faster and smarter
We cannot stress this enough. Technology exists for a reason and, in fact, some products have been created specifically for event organisers, not so much for event attendees. If you would like to streamline various event management processes into one single platform, look into event management software such as Eventscase. Using a check-in app, for example, can make all the difference by letting your welcoming party direct and control human traffic in any area of your venue.
When looking for a solution, another point to consider would be its capability to be integrated with other solutions. Event organisers would always have different tools within their arsenal and it’s important that these platforms can speak to one another via integrations.
4. Delegate the HR process to staffing companies
If you do not have the capacity to handle the staffing requirements of your event, it is best to leave it to the experts. There are event staffing companies in every corner of the globe and their job is to make sure that your required team members are available before, during and after your event. While their services may not come cheap, depending on their portfolio and experience, they are practically taking away the HR burden from you. Look for a staffing company that has operated for a long period of time in the city where your event is happening. Many of these organisations are also well-connected in terms of suppliers and can even help in the event organisation process per se.
In conclusion
Events are organised by people, and for people. As event organisers, we have to appreciate the full picture whenever we’re running our events. Success can only extend so much without the helping hands of everyone involved in making our vision come to life. This is why human resource management should always be part of our education as event professionals. Best of luck in your next event!
About Eventscase
The Eventscase platform helps event organisers manage corporate events, conferences, and trade shows, whether large, small, in-person, hybrid, or virtual. No technical skill is required at all. Anyone can create beautiful event websites, registrations, badges, perform check-ins, event apps, 1:1 meetings and more. Everything under the brand and domain of your company can be implemented with an Eventscase whitelabelled platform.
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